


The Start of Something New

by BrianThePhantomThief



Series: Shumako Role-swap [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Chain of Events, F/M, Roleswap, Romantic Friendship, What-If, idea from twitter, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25635658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrianThePhantomThief/pseuds/BrianThePhantomThief
Summary: After being accused of a crime she didn't do, Makoto Niijima has to start a new life with a criminal record. She has to transfer to Shujin Academy, where she's rumored about non-stop. But her life changes when she meets the student council president of Shujin Academy, Ren Amamiya.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Shumako Role-swap [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858342
Kudos: 16





	The Start of Something New

**Author's Note:**

> Idea from Twitter user Yenry Contreras: https://twitter.com/yen_con56?s=09
> 
> This is a what-if story of Persona 5, but with a twist. The roles of Akira/Ren/Joker and Makoto have swapped! Crazy, right? But it does make for a good shumako series, something I've wanted to do for a long time! So sit back and enjoy the ride!!

What did she do to deserve this? She only wanted to help someone, and she becomes the criminal? How much backwards can her life get from there? She costed her sister a job and they have to live in an apartment, with barely enough money for rent. What went wrong when all this happened? 

These questions flood the mind of Makoto Niijima, younger sister of the recently fired prosecutor, Sae Niijima. She had questions about her new life as a "criminal", seeing as she now has a record and expelled from her high school. She hadn't done anything this bad ever since her father passed away almost 3 years ago. The only company she had nowadays was her sister, but not even she would turn and talk to her after she lost her job. Makoto had never been so alone, sad and pathetic in her entire life. She was very passionate about keeping her public image one without crime, her grades and her sister. But all these now seem nonexistent after what happened. 

The date is April 11, 2016. The day Makoto begins her new school life at Shujin Academy. Her sister helped her get everything ready and did nothing more. Not even a goodbye. Makoto sulked her way out the door and headed for the station. She wasn't looking forward to seeing what her new school would be like. Shujin was located in Aoyama-Itchome, and the train was said to arrive late due to an accident that occured the other day. Makoto looked at the scheduled arrival time. Indeed it was running late. She sighed and kept waiting, hating every second that passed by. 

When the train finally arrived, Makoto looked at the time on her phone. She hoped that she wouldn't be late on her first day because that'd leave a bad impression of her as a student. She kept thinking about Shujin when she got off the train and headed out of the station. Would she even be able to make friends with her record? What life awaited her at this new school? Would she be able to fit in? She decided to stop thinking when she arrived at the main gates. 

'Here goes.' Makoto thought and walked into the building. 

She looked around. It looked relatively packed but she'd get used to that pretty soon. She was told by her sister to head to the facility office when she got to school, but having no experience with where anything is, Makoto had little to go on where the facility office exactly was. She wanted to ask around but thought against it for the better. 

Eventually, she found the office and walked in to see the teacher in charge of her class, Ms. Kawakami. She looked decently nice for the most part, but Makoto doubted she'd stay like that. Kawakami gave her the rundown on how she was meant to act and behave herself, and ended with a good note, telling her that her grades weren't all too bad for a student with a record. 

"Now, before you head to your classroom, there's something I want you to do." Kawakami said. 

"What might that be?" Makoto asked. 

"Follow me." Kawakami said. 

Makoto followed Kawakami to a room she would become very familiar with. She looked through the little window on the door. There was a student in there! She panicked in her head. 

"This is the student council room." Kawakami explained. "Seeing as your grades are how they are, I thought you might be interested in this." 

"Uh...thanks?" Makoto said. 

"Don't worry. No one'll say anything. After all, you mean no harm to them." Kawakami said. 

Kawakami left Makoto by the door of the student council room. She nervously reached out to the knob. She breathe in and out, trying to make her first impression of Shujin Academy a good one. She opened the door and walked in. 

"Umm...hello there." Makoto said to the student. 

"Hi there. I'm guessing you're the transfer student, Makoto Niijima, correct?" The student said. 

"Y-Yes. That's me." Makoto replied. 

"Kawakami-sensei has told me about you. She said you'd probably be here first before class, so I thought I'd wait for you." The student said. 

"So....you know what happened?" Makoto asked. 

"I got the gist of your situation. But still, you shouldn't let that get to you. You just wanted to help. But you have to be more careful well prying into business with adults." The student said. 

"I'm terribly sorry if I'm taking you your time." Makoto said. 

"You don't have to be. I promise, you'll be fine." The student said. 

"Thanks. Uhh....you never told me your name." Makoto said. 

"Ren. Ren Amamiya. I'm the student council president." The student said. 

"T-The president!? Y-You!?" Makoto started to fidget. 

"Yeah. Sorry if that surprises you." Ren said. 

"So...are you...the same grade as me?" Makoto asked. 

"I'm a third year so no. Sorry." Ren said. 

"Oh...is that so? I had no idea you were my senpai." Makoto said. 

"You're new here. Doesn't surprise me." Ren said. 

"So...Amamiya-senpai, is that all you have to say?" Makoto asked. 

"Yeah. Classes are about to start. I'll help you to your classroom." Ren said. 

"Oh...thanks." Makoto said. 

"Anytime." Ren said. 

The two walked out of the council room and walked to Makoto's classroom. Ren noticed Makoto looked really nervous. She was sweating as well. 

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." Ren said to Makoto. 

"O-Okay." Makoto said. 

Ren knocked on the door and waited. He then opened the door and walked into the classroom with Makoto beside him. He turned to face the class. 

"Everyone, this is Makoto Niijima. She's new here and will be attending school here from now on. She and I had to discuss somethings before coming here, so I hope you all treat her like you'd treat one of your fellow students." Ren said. "Makoto, would you like to say something to the class?" 

"Uhh....Umm....h-hello...." Makoto nervously said before walking behind Ren. 

"No need to be shy, Niijima-san. I trust that her classmates will be grateful and lend you a hand?" Kawakami said to her students. 

The students starting bickering about Makoto: 

"That's the transfer student? She doesn't seem like anything bad." 

"Maybe, but I heard she's got a criminal record." 

"They said she was charged with assault. Totally crazy." 

"We'd better not get on her bad side. Or will end up on her list." 

"That's enough out of you!" Ren said. 

"Come on. I'd thought you'd know better than that. Show some respect for your classmate. Or else you'll have the principal lecturing you instead of me." Kawakami said. 

"Mmm...." Makoto hummed. 

"I'm sorry, Makoto. If they keep talking about you, just come talk to me." Ren said. 

"Okay." Makoto said. 

"Okay. Your seat will be.....ah. The empty on in the back." Kawakami said, pointing to the empty desk in the back of the classroom. 

"Okay." Makoto said, walking to her seat. She could hear more of the students talking. 

"What's with the president? He's never normally like that." 

"Maybe because he wants us to set an example for the transfer student." 

"Doubt that. You see the look on his face? Never pulled one of those before." 

"He can be so scary sometimes. Best not to egg him on any further." 

"Amamiya-senapi...." Makoto felt bad for Ren. He had to go through so much trouble just for her. 

After classes were over, Makoto was asked by Kawakami to go to the council room. She made her back there, hearing all the bad rumors about her on the way. It began to give her a migraine. But she knew this was only the beginning. 

She got to the council room and walked in. She saw Ren sitting by the table, probably waiting for her. 

"Is there something you wanted from me, Amamiya-senpai?" Makoto asked the boy. 

"Just wanted to see how your day went. Everything go well?" Ren asked. 

"Not as well as I'd hoped." Makoto said. "Everyone just kept talking about me and my record. It's giving me a headache." 

"Guess it can't be helped. I spoke with your sister on the phone earlier too." Ren said. 

"......." 

"She said you were always on top of your classes and your grades were phenomenal. But she did warm me that you were a trouble maker. I don't buy that, though." Ren said. 

"Look, Amamiya-senpai, I know I probably wouldn't have to say this, but do you think I'm trouble?" Makoto asked. 

"I can't say for sure. But you don't look it. Trust me. I know you're better than what you're sister told me. And those rumors? I won't let them get to me." Ren said. 

"Amamiya-senpai...thanks for being honest." Makoto said. 

"Anytime." Ren said. 

"I know you try your hardest too. Not just for me, but for all your students. It's just....I thought I'd leave a bad impression on you." Makoto admitted. 

"Don't say that. I know that you'll be fine. You can trust me on that. Just make sure you stay out of trouble and don't cause any problems." Ren said. 

"Okay. I promise." Makoto said. 

"You should get home. Your sister will give me an earful if you show up late." Ren said. 

"Alright. Thank you for everything today, Senpai." Makoto said. 

"Happy to help." Ren said. 

He watched as Makoto left the room and walked away. He knew he'd said more than he should have, but was happy nonetheless for helping her. 

"You're not alone, Makoto. We have each other." Ren said to himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!
> 
> There is more of this series on the way. It's something I can finally work on without having to think constantly. 
> 
> Like what you read? Check out my other fanfics! You'll have a blast reading them!! 
> 
> Have a great day!!


End file.
